Red Wings’ Ben Street going to be just fine after neck cut by skate

News

Red Wings’ Ben Street going to be just fine after neck cut by skate

Detroit Red Wings center Ben Street took a skate to the neck Friday, but he escaped the scary situation with no major injury.

It’s one thing to go through a pre-season injury scare thanks to a blocked shot or hard hit, but Detroit Red Wings center Ben Street’s brush with injury came thanks to a skate to the neck during pre-season action Friday night.

During the second period of Detroit’s exhibition contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, Street was battling for a puck along the boards when a falling Maple Leaf had his skate come up and clip Street in the neck area. Immediately after the skate made contact, Street recoiled and grabbed at his neck, and he headed straight for the bench.

Following the cut, Street was taken to hospital where Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said Street would remain overnight. According to the Toronto Star’s Mark Zwolinski, Blashill said Street suffered a deep cut to the neck but left the arena in stable condition.

Blashill updated Street’s status Saturday ahead of the second of the back-to-back pre-season tilts between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs, saying that Street had escaped without any serious injury, and luckily no major arteries or veins had been cut by the skate.

“He had unreal composure,” Blashill said, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. “He had his hand on his neck. I looked up and saw the replay and that’s when I really got scared. I was hoping everything was OK. But we got word pretty quick that it looked like it was going to be just fine.”

Blashill extended his thanks to the Maple Leafs’ team doctors, and said they did “an outstanding job” handling the situation.

Once he’s fit to return to action, Street, 29, will likely spend the bulk of the campaign with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Signed by the Red Wings at the open of free agency, Street has spent the past several seasons bouncing around the minor leagues, suiting up for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Abbotsford Heat, Lake Erie Monsters and San Antonio Rampage.

Street has 98 goals and 237 points in 293 career AHL games, and has notched two assists in 25 NHL outings.